Capel: 1st 5 ACC games of each season vs rest of schedule
- Thread starter Sean Miller Fan
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Capel has beaten all ACC teams except Virginia, NC State, and Clemson. The first two years team did well until opponents realized they could not beat a zone and switched their defense. This year there was improvement, just not enough depth. Hugley likely helps wins against WF and NC State and then you are looking at 7-6 rather than 5-8 right now. My biggest concern is lack of recruits. I do see progress, but it can all go away quickly if JC, AT, XJ leave and the cupboard is bare. With the extra year of eligibility, players may not transfer as much this cycle, which makes it even harder to make up for misses in the recruiting class.
I think Johnson leaving is addition by subtraction. He has a ton of talent but cant be the primary PG on a good team.
If JC and AT return, I think Femi takes over and it is a net positive by subtraction as with the transfer of Trey. It makes it more appealing for a transfer and I do believe this team is 1-2 depth players from a tourney team. It is just the worst case all 3 leave and there are no whispers at all about recruits. Or XJ leaves and Hood-Schifino sees the light and reclassifies to take over PG.
I agree that if Toney and Champagnie come back, I'd develop Femi as the starting PG. He doesn't have Johnson's talent but he is more of a PG than Johnson. Johnson is almost like Artis playing PG as in a talented player but 0 PG skills.
I think Femi has to be the PG no matter what. If everyone comes back, Johnson can play 20 MPG off the bench backing up the 1 and 2.
Lol. Bench a 3 year starter. You can’t make this shit up. I’m sure he’ll take that well and won’t affect the locker room at all
well he's proven he's not "the guy" so you cant have him be the starting PG just so he doesn't pout. I dont know if Femi can be the guy but the clock is pretty close to hitting midnight for Johnson. He's just not a winning PG
Where would he go? Whether for good or bad I think he’s the guy on the team right now most likely to be back next season.
Yeah I mean X is very clearly talented and does many things at a high level. He’s a fantastic ball handler. Think about his 3 years— I don’t remember many times when he mishandled a dribble. Most of his issues are between the ears and his inability to play under control. So with XJ it’s really a matter of preference. Either you are ok with his high upside, high risk nature or you want someone like James Robinson who is solid but never took a chance. But overall, I still prefer X and just keep hoping one of these years he will learn to play a little more under control and only take the risks in the right situations. After all, “Good X” like we saw against Virginia Tech can be unstoppable and get buckets easily. There aren’t many Pitt players in recent memory who you can say that about.
As I said he is not a good coach. And his staff sucks. Add that up and it's not surprising.
Xavier is not a floor leader. He is an out of control PG who doesn't understand the flow of games and just decides seemingly on a whim to start trying to do everything himself. And that's where he gets into trouble. He's not good enough to be able to do it all. He doesn't understand that or care. He gets in this selfish mindset and it totally hurts the team. Femi obv is only a freshman but if he works on his FT shooting and shot in the offseason he can be pretty good for us I believe. He's much more of a calming presence.
What’s interesting is that he didn’t just beat up on bottom-barrel ACC teams; they beat eventual conference champions Florida State to begin last season. Just fascinating how the last three years have paralleled each other.
Is it the players? Gameplan? In-game decisions? Mental toughness? Not sure what to make of it. I think it’ll all come around, though.
Is it the players? Gameplan? In-game decisions? Mental toughness? Not sure what to make of it. I think it’ll all come around, though.
If he comes back, move him to the 2 and have Horton come off the bench then (if Toney and Champagnie come back). He isnt a PG
Did Xavier Johnson steal some of your wives/girlfriends? Or rob your houses or something?
If he left this year, we would be SCREWED next year.
If he left this year, we would be SCREWED next year.
This thread is great advertising of our program on a free and open platform. Thanks for this. 😔
He actually is a prototypical point guard. Not sure how people don't see it after 80 or 85 games in his career. He has all the physical skills you want. Again, his biggest issue is that unlike most 3rd year point guards, the game has not slowed down for him and he plays way too fast.
I think the better question would be: "Is Xavier Johnson YOUR girlfriend or something?
Do we think that if there is more talent around X than he will be better? He’s already proven to be better this year with a decent shooter at the 2.
I cannot even fathom how some of you believe you know basketball suggesting A) moving him to the 2 (which as a non shooter is absolutely ludicrous) B) they should bring him off the bench for basically an unknown C) they’d be better off without him.
He has flaws as a player but man can you guys not see there is a middle ground? If he wasn’t the best option, would Capel have played him more than Femi in 99 percent of the games this year? You can think whatever you want of his coaching ability, but he surely doesn’t wanna lose his job. Use critical thinking skills people.
I cannot even fathom how some of you believe you know basketball suggesting A) moving him to the 2 (which as a non shooter is absolutely ludicrous) B) they should bring him off the bench for basically an unknown C) they’d be better off without him.
He has flaws as a player but man can you guys not see there is a middle ground? If he wasn’t the best option, would Capel have played him more than Femi in 99 percent of the games this year? You can think whatever you want of his coaching ability, but he surely doesn’t wanna lose his job. Use critical thinking skills people.
No I’m just not an advocate of pushing out our 3 year starting PG who is our most important player and creates much of our offense.
Criticizing him is different and I wish we could have more overall talent so we could be in a better position to sit him when he’s foul happy or a TO machine. But saying it will be addition by subtraction is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.
He cannot be the primary PG. What else does he need to do to prove that to you? This team would be much better if it had a legit PG. I don't know if Femi can be that but its worth a shot. This Johnson/Toney/Champagnie group LOSES like a TON. At some point we have to try something different. Play him at the 2.
HE CANNOT BE A TWO. HE IS A PG.
So basically your strategy for next year is, hey we’ve rolled with this guy for 3 years, playing him like 30 mins a game for 3 freaking years, but let’s try a complete unknown because what the hell? If Capel pushed XJ out for Femi or moved XJ to the 2 his senior year he should be fired. It cannot and will not happen.
Yes because remember that definition of insanity. Eventually you have to realize Johnson is not going to win you games consistently
OR... he needs more quality players around him. Isnt it funny how the talent has increased, he’s been better? Odd I know
Yet you continue to post insane things that will never happen and claim you’re right
It’s funny that everyone loves to trash X and wants Femi to be the PG but there are possessions where Femi LITERALLY dribbles in place for 10-15 sec straight. Not even going anywhere. And then shoots a long 2. Oh, and the fact that he is Shaq at the FT line.
He is a solid player and will probably be good here but he’s not even close to capable of replacing X.
He is a solid player and will probably be good here but he’s not even close to capable of replacing X.
Backup QB syndrome. Yinzers are big backup has to be better than the guy playing people.
What? His best season was his FR year and he's gotten progressively worse.
Best season scoring wise. But he’s become a much better distributor and point guard than he was that year.
What? He’s averaging 1 less point, 1.5 more assists (2nd in the ACC) and shooting around the exact same in 5 less minutes per game while also averaging fewer turnovers. And that’s without a full compliment of cakewalk games to pad his stats. Pitt will also have their highest ACC winning pct this year which of course is the most
Important stat.
As always, you’re factually wrong. Not an opinion here: you are factually wrong. This should end the convo, but you know the definition of insanity.
I said the same thing that last time SMF posted this silliness. Right now Odukale is basically a lesser version of Johnson. He's not as good at the things that Johnson is good at. He plays the game the same way, too much dribbling, too many possessions where he decides he needs to do it and doesn't bother looking for a teammate.
The idea that if you just give him the proverbial keys to the car that all that is suddenly going to change is nothing more than wishful thinking.
The ACC was light years better in Capel's first year. They were 3-12 vs non-#1 seeds which is a very similar record to their 5-10 this season.
You were wrong. You are wrong. It’s a familiar position for you. No worries. Move on to the next time you post something insane.
Well, they have to try something. Johnson has proven he isnt a PG. If Okudale cant do it next year, then they better recruit over him. Odukale is a freshman and freshmen usually improve. I know Johnson didnt but I expect Femi to be better next year. If he is developed as the primary PG, I would expect he'd be better than Johnson. Basically, can he be Tray Woodall.....who was a great kid and great competitor but an average P6 PG.
Well I am predicting that Johnson wont be the starting PG next year. He cant be. Whether that's by transfer or moving to the 2 or backing up the PG, I dont know.
Also, 2 of Johnson, Toney, Champagnie won't be here next year.
Johnson: ORating 105.4, eFG% 49.2, TS% 55.4, OReb% 1.9, DReb% 11.6, Assist Rate 41.4, Turn Rate 23.0, Ones% 78.7, Twos% 50.0, Threes% 32.1
Odukale: ORating 87.0, eFG% 45.1, TS% 45.8, OReb% 2.8, DReb% 11.4, Assist Rate 21.7, Turn Rate 24.3, Ones% 45.7, Twos% 50.0, Threes% 18.8
If what you think this team needs is less of the first line and more of the second then, well, you don't know basketball.
Odukale: ORating 87.0, eFG% 45.1, TS% 45.8, OReb% 2.8, DReb% 11.4, Assist Rate 21.7, Turn Rate 24.3, Ones% 45.7, Twos% 50.0, Threes% 18.8
If what you think this team needs is less of the first line and more of the second then, well, you don't know basketball.
Femi is a spot player, I dont put a ton if weight into stats of players who dont play much. He will be a year older next year. If he cant do it, then we will be really bad again because Johnson isnt a PG.
I bet Artis had awesome stats as a senior PG too. He also wasnt a PG
He's played over 17 minutes per game this year. In ACC games it's almost 20 minutes per game. He's only a spot player in your fertile imagination.
X will be the starting point guard and 2 of 3 will be back. Probably 3 of 3.
Can’t wait til that happens. pittjas KNOWS COLLEGE BASKETBALL will be my new sig
ACC Conference ONLY stats
ORTG power rating
Johnson-100.2
Odukale-90.6
EFG Field Goal %
Johnson- 45.3
Odukale- 49.2
OR %
Johnson- 1.8
Odukale-3.5
DR%
Johnson- 10.3
Odukale- 12.2
Assist Rate
Johnson-40
Odukale-22.5
Turnover Rate
Johnson-22.9
Odukale-22.2
In Close shooting %
Johnson- 55.6%
Odukale-57.7%
Midrange shooting %
Johnson-25%
Odukale-45.8%
3 point shooting %
Johnson-28%
Odukale-25%
Usage Rate
Johnson-29.3
Odukale-20.9
These numbers have tightened up considerably in ACC Conference play
Also worth nothing
1) Odukale's stats are better the last 10 ACC games too
Case in point
Oduakle's First 3 ACC Games- 9 Turnovers
Odukale's Next 10 ACC Games combined- 11 turnovers
All that said, X is still the better player as of now. But X should be moved off the ball at times to lower his usage rate and help his efficiency. I also think Odukale's numbers are going to go way up next year, including his efficiency metrics. Odukale is pushing almost a 3-1 assist to turnover ratio his last 10 ACC games combined which is major improvement from the start of the season. 26 assists to 11 turnovers.
Also, X still has considerable fouling issues which aren't in any of the above numbers.
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